"Finally, we’re on our way! And look — we’ve already left the village far behind us, miles and miles away!" Hiroshi said with a grin, glancing back over his shoulder at the place they had stayed.
Harumiko hitched her backpack higher onto her shoulders and nodded happily. Then they both turned forward again and kept walking. They knew this road well now.
After all, this was the same path they had taken to get here. The way home was simple — just keep following it straight ahead. Their sense of direction was excellent; there was no chance of getting lost.
"We absolutely must find a good place to rest tonight. A proper sleep to recharge, and then we’ll be off again tomorrow. You know, we’ve both grown up so much this past year... and seen so many new things," Hiroshi said as they moved through the forest, smiling at her.
"You’re right," Harumiko replied warmly. "We’ve seen a lot, met so many people... and really grown up. That’s definitely a wonderful thing."
"Once we’re back home, we’ll see everything with new eyes. I bet when we look back at the things we used to do, they’ll seem really silly or childish. I guess that’s just what happens when you grow up," Hiroshi said softly with a smile.
Harumiko nodded in agreement. She felt the same way — thinking back on her own past actions, she often found herself laughing at how naive she had been.
"I think we can cover a huge distance today. And I know our stamina is more than enough to keep going. We’ll just have a simple meal tonight and sleep well," she said softly.
Hiroshi nodded. They had already travelled quite far from the village, and their pace was impressively fast.
"Wow, we’re moving quickly! We’ve come such a long way already, and it hardly feels like effort at all," Hiroshi remarked happily.
He realised that walking with someone you like makes all the difference. Chatting and laughing together makes time fly, and distances feel much shorter. That was the best part of travelling with a companion.
"It’s amazing — walking together makes the time go so fast, and I never get tired. That must be the magic of having company," he said, turning to her with a smile.
Harumiko nodded — she felt exactly the same. Every time she travelled with Hiroshi, hours passed in minutes.
Walking side by side, talking and laughing, she never felt exhausted; in fact, she felt like she could walk even faster and further.
"Let’s keep going then — let’s try to make as much progress as possible today," Hiroshi urged gently.
She nodded, and they both quickened their steps.
Their speed was truly remarkable. They had covered a great distance in such a short time — proof of the basic training and stamina that all shinobi possessed.
They spent the entire afternoon travelling like this: fast, steady, and never weary, enjoying every moment of their conversation.
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Monday - Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day
Saturday - Sunday - Off